Mechanical musical instrument.



Patentfid Apr. 27., 1915.

J. A. WESER.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION men mm. 1913.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO, PHOTG'LITHO. WASHINGTON. D. Lv

UNITED 's'rairns rarnn'r orrion.

JOHN A. WESER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IVIEGHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2'7, 1915.

Original application filed. March 22, 1910, Serial No. 550,976. Divide d and this application filed. April 3, 1913. Serial No. 758,588.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN A. WVnsnR, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan of the city of New York, in the county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Musical Instruments, of which the following is. a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part hereof.

In Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,088,000 dated February 24., 1914:, granted upon application, Serial No. 550,976, filed March 22, 1910, of which this case is a division, there are shown and described certain controlling devices for pneumatic piano playing mechanisms of the general character of that shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 923,225, dated June 1, 1909. The operation of such controlling devices is initiated by the registration of side perforations in the music sheet with holes at the end of the tracker board,

from which extend suitable connections to the controlling devices.

The object of this invention is to provide a device whereby the performer may make in the music sheet such side perforations as are desired either for initiating the operation of the expression controlling devices,

such as are shown in said application, or for initiating the operation of any expression or other controlling devices such as are commonly employed in connection with music sheets which have side perforations.

The auxiliary perforating device which is the subject of this invention is so constructed as to enable the performer to make a side perforation wherever desired when the music sheet is in position in the player, to insure accuracy in the positioning of such side perforations, and to prevent the small pieces of paper which are punched out from being drawn into the vacuum system of the player.

The invention will be more fully explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawing in which it is illustrated and in which- Figure 1 is a view in front elevation showing a tracker box and board with the auxiliary perforating device applied thereto. detail view in section on the plane indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The auxiliary perforating device which forms the subject of this invention may be applied to any ordinary pneumatic player or piano-player, such as that shown, for example, in Letters Patent of the United States No. 923,225. 'The operation of the player pneumatics in such a player is determined, as usual, by the cotiperation of a perforated music sheet 6, mounted in the usual manner, with a tracker board 6 such tracker board having ports 6 connected with the player pneumatics. The tracker board is also provided with ports 6 by which is initiated the operation of pneumatic controlling devices, by which in turn, is deter-' mined the operation of various devices which may regulate the wind pressure, the movement of the hammer rest rail, the speed and direction of movement of the music sheet, etc. The music sheet 25 is provided with socalled side perforations for coiiperation with a limited number of ports 12 at the ends of the tracker board 6 through which the operation of these various controlling devices is initiated. The parts and devices thus far referred to may operate in any usual or preferred manner. This invention is concerned particularly with a device whereby the performer is enabled to make in the music sheet, at will, whatever side perforations are necessary to produce any desired effects in the performance of any composition. In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing there is pivoted to the frame of the tracker box, near the end thereof, a spring lever c which carries a punch a by which side perforations may be made in the music sheet at the will of the performer. For facility in forming the additional side perforations, the punch 0 is arranged to coiiperate with holes in the tracker board and preferably, in order to prevent the entrance into the vacuum system of the small bits of paper punched out, with special holes 0 To insure accuracy in placing the additional side perforations so that they shall register with the ports in the tracker board, the lever is provided with a guide pin 0 to cotiperate with a gage plate 0 which is provided with gage holes 0 The lever is preferably pivoted upon the frame of the tracker box so that it may be turned up out of the way, as shown at the left hand in Fig. 1, or turned down into operative position, as shown at the right hand in said figure. The guide pin 0 is longer than the punch a so that the guide pin may be introduced into the guide hole before the punch 0 is permitted to touch the paper.

In the use of this auxiliary perforating device the performer, having in mind the effect produced by a perforation in one line or another, places the lever with its guide pin in the proper guide hole and then, when the proper point in the paper is over the punch hole or die, presses the spring lever toward the tracker board so as to force the punch through the paper.

I claim as my invention: A

1. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination With the tracker board, of a music sheet perforating device under the control of the performer arranged to perforate the music sheet in position in the tracker boX.

2. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination with the tracker board of a music sheet perforating device to perfo' rate the music sheet in position in the tracker boxfand a gage therefor to determine the position of the perforations at the Will of the performer.

3. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination with the tracker board and the frame to support the music roll and spool, of a music sheet perforating device under the control of the performer mount ed on the frame and arranged to perforate the music sheet.

4. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination with the tracker board and the frame to support the music roll and spool, of a music sheet perforating device mounted on the frame and arranged to perforate the music sheet and a gage for the perforating device.

5. In a mechanical musical instrument,

the combination with the tracker board and the frame tosupport the music roll and spool, of a lever mounted on the frame and having a punch to perforate the music sheet and enter the holes in the tracker board.

6. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination with the tracker board and the frame to support the music roll and spool, of a lever mounted on the frame and having a punch to perforate the music sheet and enter holes in the tracker board, and a guide plate, the lever having a guide pin to enter the holes in the guide plate.

7. In a mechanical. musical instrument, the combination with the tracker board and the frame to support the music roll and spool, of a lever mounted on the frame and. having a punch to perforate the music sheet and enter the holes in the tracker board, and a guide plate pivoted on the frame, the lever having a guide pin to enter holes in the guide plate.

8. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a tracker board having holes communicating with the air passages and independent punch holes, a supporting frame and a lever mounted on the frame and carrying a punch to enter the punch holes in the tracker board.

9. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a tracker board, a supporting frame, a guide plate having a series of guide holes, and a lever mounted on the frame and carrying a punch to enter holes in the tracker board and a longer guide pin to enter the holes in the guide plate.

This specification signed and witnessed this first day of April A. D., 1913.

JOHN A. IVESER.

Signed in the presence of IVINFRIED S. lVnsER, W. H. KEATING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0'. 

